Groove rolling machine



B. GROB GROOVE ROLLING MACHINE Sept 22, 1959 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 6, 1955 INVENTOR.

Sept. 22, 1959 B. GROB 2,905,033

V I GROOVE ROLLING MACHINE Filed A ril 6, 1955 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 flag 5127117 5 176 Sept. 22, 1959 B. GROB 2,905,033

GROOVE ROLLING MACHINE INVENTOR.

.3577 5172127 EFL-7Z7 Sept. 22, 1959 GROB GROOVE ROLLING momma 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed April 6, 1955 IN VEN TOR.

BY Alli nay Sept. 22, 1959 s. GROB GROOVE ROLLING MACHINE 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed April 6, 1955 INVENTOR.

$517517]!!! Erafi BY Aiiarm/ United States Patent v(.lIlGOVE ROLLING. MACHINE Benjamin- Groh-flraftonfwis.

ApplieationfiApril 6 1 1955 Serial No. 499,571 l' Claim. (0380-16) .ery of .a cylindrical blank .is repeatedly penetrated by a multiplicityofirollingactions periodically applied in rapid succession 321i. intervals uniformly spaced -.circumfere ntial- 1;; of the blank ,and advanced axially thereof. {Rheare- .peated ;rol1iug.acti;ons are satisfactorily ,performed .by .one or more rollers .continuously driven insplanetary 1 dashion into ,and 5011i. .-of; penetrating (engagement with the blank,

.the circumferential spacing of ,the penetrations thereby produced sbeing' effected by relative indexing rotation between thev rolling mechanism-and -.blankabout.-.the .axis .of .the latter in .precisely timed relation with ttlie roller movements. ..Such indexing rotation .may be :either continuous or intermittent. Under manyaconditionscofop- .eration .continuouszindexing preferred,.but under other conditions, such .as when .the grooves :to the produced are .rather :coarse, ;.it is advantageous that .indexing i rota- .tion be arrested .during eachengagement between :a ,roller and .blank.

One object .of .the .present invention is .toprovide .an improved machine .for rolling ,grooves according to the above noted method.

.Another object ;is to provide ,a grooveirolling .machine of .the .character'mentioned wherein indexing rotation is periodically arrested andrnomentarily. locked during success'ive rolling actions without imposing a. serious limita- .tion .on @the speed .of machine operation. or impairing .the accuracy of ,therdlling action.

Another object is :to ,provide ,for intermittent indexing irotation'inamachine ,of .the character mentioned whereby .eachperiod of non-rotation. constitutes .but ,a minute portion of each indexing cycle.

.In carrying out the groove rolling method above describedjit is importantthat the peripheral velocity. of each roller such .as .to .efiect .a 11116 (rolling action tthereof against .the thlank throughout each brief periodof engagement therewith. .That [is-t0 .say, .if .the peripheral velocity-of ardller is lost .orrnaterially reduced vduring the idle travel ithereof, so as to .be substantially below that required at .the instant .of contact ,with -the work,

:harmful forces :develop .that mar -.and sometimes tear .the materialnf the :blank. Moreover, it Jl-as been; found that a permissible change ,in themeripheral :velocitynf the roller :during (eachrolling action -.:is.desirable to accommodate thewa-riable-conditions occurringidurihg -each period of engagement with the .blank.

Another objectof -the present invention is *to -provide :in a1maohin'esof the character mentionedrroller control :means :capable of :satisfying the above noted 'velocity -.'requirements thereof.

.Another object is to provide -means for stabilizing 2,905,033 .P-atent d Sept- 2 M15 \the {rollers by the application .of centripetal f0rces::there- ..rnitting slight displacement: thereof'to correct alignment discrepancies.

EQthCI' more specific ohjectsuand advantages will rappear, expressed or implied, from the followingtdescrip- :tlQIl-aflf .;a groove rolling machine constructed .iin accord- :ance with the present invention.

in .theaccompanying drawings:

Figure ;1 is a plane view .of asgroove rolling-machine embodying the :invention.

Fig. -2 .-is ;a wiewtin side elevation, partly in section.

,Eig. '3 is .a transverse-sectional view :taken substantially along the ;1ine;3;30f Fig. 2.

Fig.-41is-a sectional yiew, on a;larger.scale,-.taken sub- :stantially alongtthe line ,o-fFig. .1, and illustrating the ,blank qi-ndexing mechanism .employed.

.?Fig. 5 is afragiuentary view of the indexing mecha- .nisrn, illustrating :a different operating position of the parts thereof.

-.of roller 1 supporting head ,and mounting means :there'for.

z-In the' machine' -shown the .rolling mechanism :is contained in a housing 10 mounted on oneend of a supporting bed :an d arframe .12 on .the '0ther end :of' the bed provides supportf-for. a blank :carrying slide i 13 guided .insuitableways :14 {for n10vement1toward .and from the housing 10. Feed =rnovement ,at ;any desired :rate .-;is imparted to (the slide 1 3 by any appropriate zrneans such as a qpiston .15 working in a cylinder @16 sfixed to =the frame horizontal tubular shaft 17, extending parallel to -the .dir ection of :feeidqof the; slide .13, is ijournalledi in an upright plate 18 rising from the forward end of the slide .13 and :furtherjournalled in a bracket 191fixe'd to-and ,extending ;rearwardly from :the plate 18. .Shaft -=ex- .tends .through the bracket {19 .and plate "18 :and is adapted to receive, po sitioniand idirectthe blank 4a to zthe' rolling .mechanism. Flihe -.blank iis releasably secured :to and awithinrthe-shaft 17 bysuitablemeans such as set screws .20. Ihe shaft 17 also functions to index the blank and this instance is intermittently rotated for that purpose preferably by indexing mechanism of a type such as ,now be described.

The mechanism :shown :for this purpose includes a ,heavy. disk .21 grigidly rfiXd :;to 'the forward end-of shaft 17 ,and .having :a circular series -;0f identical lugs 22sym- ,metrically .disposed and equally spaced about :the axis .of the .disk. The lugs ;,22.,project from the rear-(face of tthedisk 21eand together formaseries of radial slots "23 of uniforrn :Width. A drive'sha-ft .24, adjacent :-the disk .11 and parallel to the axis thereof, .is journalledatop- .posite.ends in-.2the plate ;,-18-;and-in.an auxiliary ibracket 25 .and. carries a pair of pins. 26 or wrollers projecting from the forward vend thereof for coaction with the lugs '22 ,and slots 23 .of the disk. The pins .826 are disposed diametrically .of .the shaft 24 and equally spaced from the ,thereofigand teach of a diameter to .aflord a close sliding fit withinzthe slots 23.

The arrangement issuch that during .continuous rotation of the. shaft .24 thepins .26 entersuccessive slots 2.3 alternately, .each in turn passing inwardly :along :an.-en gaged slot and imparting rotation to the disk 21 ,atg an accelerated rate ,until he pin :has reached an innermost position, and thereafter passing outwardly along the engaged slot to effect decelerating rotation of the disk. During such action of one pin 26, the other pin remains clear of the disk but ultimately enters the next slot 23 thereof as the first pin vacates its engaged slot. The spacing between the axes of the drive shaft 24 and disk 21 is such that each pin does not actually vacate its engaged slot until an instant after the other pin has engaged the next slot, and during this instant both rollers are engaged with the disk 21 at opposite sides of the intermediate lug 22, and during this instant the disk is securely locked against rotation. This condition is illustrated in Fig. 5.

The shaft 24 is continuously driven through a suitable gear train 27 from a shaft 28 journalled in the plate 18 and having a splined section extending through and slidably engaged in driving relation with a bevel gear 29. A bracket 30 fixed to a wall of the housing provides support for the gear 29 and for one end of a shaft 31 carrying a bevel gear 32 meshing with gear 29. The shaft 31 is journalled in an upright bracket plate 33 rising from the bed 11 and is driven from a motor 34 through appropriate belting 35. The shaft 24 is preferably large and heavy to provide a desirable fly wheel effect tending to absorb the variable reactions between the pins 26 and disk 21 and thus to protect the gears 27 and other driving parts against torsional shocks that might otherwise occur.

The machine shown includes two opposed sets of groove forming rollers 36 and 37 disposed in the housing 10 above and below the path of advance of the blank 1 and timed to engage opposite sides of the blank simultaneously. Both sets of rollers are substantially identical and, except for the fact that one is supported from below and the other from above, the mounting means for each is substantially the same, so that a description of one will suffice for both.

Each of the roller sets, as shown in Figs. 6 and 7, includes a pair of peripherally ribbed rollers 36, each journalled on needle bearings 38 on a shaft 39 fixed in a rotary head 40 by transverse locking keys 41. The head 40 is fixed to a supporting shaft 42 for rotation therewith. The head is partially enclosed by a housing 43 having a relatively thick circular base 44, arcuate front and rear walls 45, and enclosure plates 46 and 47 detachably fixed to the walls 45. The shaft 42 is journalled in the plates 46 and 47.

The housing 43, with the contained rollers 36, is preferably vertically adjustable to accommodate work blanks of different diameters, and also angularly adjustable to regulate the direction of roller movement relative to the axis of the blank. For this purpose the circular base 44 of the housing is closely confined within and centered by a circular opening 48 provided in a thick supporting plate 49 fixed in the main housing 10, and the periphery of the base 44 is in threaded engagement with an encircling ring 50 seated against the face of the plate 49. The arrangement is such that by rotation of the ring 50 the housing base 44 may be raised or lowered relative to the plate 49, or the base 44 and ring 50 may be rotated as a unit about the axis of the circular opening 48 to thereby angularly adjust the plane of action of the rollers 36. The axis of the opening 48 is preferably disposed substantially within the plane of action of the rollers.

The housing base 44- may be secured in any position of adjustment by a rather thick clamp disk 51 adjustably connected thereto by a central bolt 52. The disk 51 is also shown centered by and within the opening 48 and bearing against the under side of the plate 49. Relative rotation between the disk 51 and housing base 44 is prevented by a suitable interlock, such as a pin 53 carried by the disk and engaged in a recess 54 in the base. A clamp ring 55, which may be tightened against the disk 51 by screws 56 engaged in the supporting plate 49, provides an effective means for securing the disk, and consequently the housing base 44, against angular displacement, and by tightening the central bolt 52 the housing base 44 may be effectively secured against vertical displacement.

As previously noted, provision is made for yieldably maintaining the peripheral velocity of each roller at a rate such as desired to insure a true rolling action thereof against the work blank. In the roller set shown in Fig. 6, this is accomplished by the use of two non-rotating ring members 57 and 58 that are retained in frictional engagement with both rollers 36 throughout their circular travel with the rotating head 40. The ring 57 is a solid annulus seated against the closure plate 46 and having an internal beveled face overlying and frictionally engaged with a correspondingly beveled end face 59 on each of the rollers. The other ring 58 is thin walled and resilient and has a beveled end face overlying and frictionally engaged with another beveled end face 60 on each of the rollers. A pressure plate 61 centered by the shaft 39 and urged toward the rollers by a set of springs 62 maintains pressure contacts between both rings 57 and 58 and the rollers, the degree of pressure thus maintained being regulated by adjustment of spring regulating screws 63.

It will be noted that the frictional contacts, thus maintained between the rollers 36 and the non-rotating rings 57 and 58 cause the rollers to normally revolve about their individual axes in a direction opposite the direction of rotation of the head 40 and at a peripheral velocity slightly greater than that of the head; and also these frictional contacts permit each roller to assume a peripheral velocity conducive to a true rolling action between the roller and blank immediately upon engagement thereof with the blank. It will also be noted that the beveled end faces 59 and 60 are oppositely sloped and in such directions that the rollers are firmly held in proper alignment by the reaction forces of the rings 57 and 58 thereon, and that these forces also urge the rollers inwardly thus stabilizing the same against the disturbing effects of centrifugal force.

In order to accommodate the ring 57 and to permit the same to extend into position overlying the rollers 36, it will be noted that an adjacent portion of the head 40, as well as the adjacent roller shaft ends, have been removed, but this does not in any way weaken or 1mpair the structure or operation of the roller set.

The roller carrying heads 40 of both upper and lower roller sets are simultaneously driven in opposite directions but at the same speed and in such timed relation with each other and with the indexing mechanism above described that each roller of the upper set engages and acts on the blank simultaneously with a roller of the lower set and that each such engagement and action occurs during that momentary period when the blank is locked against rotation by the indexing mechanism. This is accomplished in the machine shown by driving both sets of rollers from the same shaft 31 that drives the indexing mechanism.

In this instance the shaft 31 supports and drives a gear 64 that meshes with a gear 65 whose supporting shaft 66 is journalled in a cage 67 fixed to the upright supporting plate 33. The gear 65 is connected to the drive shaft 42 of the upper roller set through suitable flexible connections capable of accommodating the above described vertical and angular adjustments of the roller set. The connections shown for this purpose include universal joints 68 fixed to the gear 65 and upper shaft 42, respectively, and interconnected by an intermediate shaft 69 having telescoping sections. The drive shaft 42 of the lower gear set is similarly connected to a gear 70 that meshes with the gear 65 and that is supported in the same manner as gear 65.

From the foregoing it will be understood that, during the rolling operation, the slide 13 is advanced at a predetermined feed rate so as to advance and project the leading end of the blank a into and through the working zone between the contipuously operated upper and lower sets of rollers 36 and 37 which repeated engage and penetrate the peripheral surfrace of the blank. Proper positioning of the blank within the working zone is assured by a suitable orificed guide 71 attached to a supporting plate 72 and projecting to a point adjacent the rollers. As the blank advances, it is rotated step-by-step through angles of equal predetermined magnitude by the action of the indexing mechanism 21, which also momentarily locks the blank against rotation between rotative steps thereof, this action being so timed that the repeated engagements of the rollers with the blank occur only during those brief intervals when the blank is thus locked against rotation. The operation is such that the repeated penetrating actions by the rollers on the indexed blank first results in the formation of a series of gashes in the blank circumferentially spaced thereabout, and thereafter these gashes in the blank are individually extended into grooves of desired length by the longitudinal advance of the blank during continued repetitive roller actions on the indexed blank.

A modified form of roller set is shown in Fig. 8 which may be used either as an upper or lower set in the machine above described, and as one of a pair of sets that may be substituted for the above described upper and lower sets shown as parts of that machine. As in the roller sets above described, the set shown in Fig. 8 includes a pair of rollers 36' journalled on shafts 39 fixed in a rotary head 40 by transverse keys 41. In this instance the rollers and head are rather closely confined within a housing 43' constituting an integral part of a vertically extended cylindrical column 44'. In this instance the upper end of the column is transversely bored to form the interior of the housing and also laterally reduced by cutting away opposite side portions thereof to form parallel housing ends. The ends of the housing are closed by end plates 46 and 47 bolted or otherwise detachably secured thereto. The roller carrying head 40' is rotatably supported in the housing by an integral stub shaft 42" journalled in the end plate 46', and also by an integral drive shaft 42 journalled in the end plate 47.

The column 44' is adapted for mounting in the above described machine and provides a vertically and angularly adjustable support for the roller set. More particularly, the column is adapted to be projected through a circular opening in either of the supporting plates 49 heretofore mentioned and to be centered thereby. A base ring 50' adapted to seat against the plate 49 provides support for the column 44' through connections capable of effecting an extensive vertical adjustment of the column relative to the plate. The connections shown for this purpose include an auxiliary ring 74 in screw threaded engagement with and within the base ring 50. Ring 74 closely encircles the column 44 and is locked against rotation relative thereto by a spline or key 75 engaged in a vertical groove 76 formed in the side of the column. A heavy releasable snap ring 77 engageable in any of a plurality of vertically spaced horizontal grooves 78 in the column and adapted to seat on the auxiliary ring 74, serves to support the column in any of several positions of vertical adjustment, depending upon which of the several grooves 78 are engaged by ring 77. Rotation of the base ring 50 about the auxiliary ring 74 provides for a fine vertical adjustment of the column. The column 44 is also angularly adjustable within the plate 49 about the vertical axis thereof so as to efiect an angular adjustment of the plane of rotation of the rollers 36.

The peripheral velocity of the rollers 36 is frictionally controlled by a pair of non-rotating resilient rings 58' of substantially identical form. Each of the rings 58' has a resiliently flexible edge portion 79 in frictional engagement with both rollers 36' and particularly with one of two oppositely beveled end faces 80 thereof. Each ring 58 is axially confined between the rollers and a spacer ring 81 seated against one of the end plates 46' or 47. The spacer rings 81 are of a thickness to establish contact pressures of desired magnitude between the rings 58' and rollers 36', and they may be replaced by spaced rings of different thicknesses to modify those contact pressures, as conditions may require.

During rotation of the roller carrying head 40', the non-rotating rings 58 react on the rollers 36 to normally effect individual rotation thereof in a direction opposite to the direction of rotation of the head and at a peripheral velocity approximating that of the head, and therefore approximating a peripheral velocity best suited for a true rolling action of each roller against the blank during each such engagement. At the same time, the frictional engagement between the rings 58 and rollers 36' permits immediate changes in the peripheral velocity of the latter to the limited extents necessary for each to assume a true rolling action at the instant of blank engagement and throughout the period of such engagement.

It will be noted that the rings 58' press the rollers 36' inwardly against the centrifugal forces acting therein, thereby stabilizing the same in their bearings. It will be further noted that since the strength and resiliency of both rings are substantially the same, they function normally to firmly and accurately center the rollers 36', but also advantageously permit slight axial displacement of the rollers in either direction to correct for minute inaccuracies in alignment between them and the grooves being formed.

Various changes may be made in the embodiment of the invention hereinabove specifically described without departing from or sacrificing the advantages of the invention defined in the appended claim.

I claim:

In a groove rolling machine the combination of a. planet roller having a blank-penetrating peripheral portion and conical ends, a rotary carrier therefor operable to drive said roller in a circular path to repeatedly present said peripheral portion into penetrating rolling engagement with a blank, and non-rotating means at each end of said roller surrounding the path of movement of said roller and having a bevelled portion matching and overlaying said conical ends to frictionally engage and yieldably effect rotation thereof at a predetermined peripheral speed, said bevel and conical ends being of such angle as to preclude axial movement of said roller.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 58,134 Prosser Sept. 18, 1866 409,484 Myers Aug. 20, 1889 585,169 Allen June 29, 1897 773,362 Anderson Oct. 25, 1904 802,048 Lambert et a1. Oct. 17, 1905 989,643 Reinhard Apr. 18, 1911 1,013,429 Nowak Jan. 2, 1912 1,028,236 Ludwig June 4, 1912 1,580,975 Retterath Apr. 13, 1926 1,929,987 Mead Oct. 10, 1933 1,933,314 Coe Oct. 31, 1933 2,021,686 Gassen Nov. 19, 1935 2,062,564 Farr Dec. 1, 1936 2,228,530 Mott Ian. 14, 1941 2,324,603 Stl'Obl July 20, 1943 2,712,250 Badlam July 5, 1955 2,715,846 Grob et a1. Aug. 23, 1955 FOREIGN PATENTS 27,420 Germany June 13, 1884 

